Asia Map / Map of Asia - Maps, Facts and Geography of Asia - Worldatlas.com Asia Photographs Description Asia is the largest and most populous continent in the world, sharing borders with Europe and Africa to its West, Oceania to its South, and North America to its East. Its North helps form part of the Arctic alongside North America and Europe. Though most of its continental borders are clearly defined, there are gray areas. Europe and Asia are technically located on the same overall landmass, and combined the two are referred to as Eurasia. As a result of its porous land border, some countries on Asia’s western border have been at times referred to as part of Europe’s East. Armenia , Azerbaijan , and Georgia are sometimes referred to as Asian and other times as European. Russia and Turkey tend to be cut into regions. Russia is generally split along the Ural Mountains, with its western half called “European Russia” and its East as simply “Russia.” The land between Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, and its direct borders with Bulgaria and Greece is at times referred to as a part of Europe called “Thrace,” while the rest of its territory is called “Anatolia” and is part of Asia.

On the other side of the continent, the islands which separate Asia from Oceania can also be difficult to delineate. Indonesia and parts of the Philippines are sometimes categorized as part of Oceania rather than as Asian. This being said, it is important to note that these divided regions do not constitute separate countries or autonomous regions claiming sovereignty (such as the cases of Hong Kong or Palestine). “European Russia” and “Russia” are both simply Russia, and the “Thrace” and “Anatolia” parts of Turkey are both undisputedly part of Turkey, but sometimes the regions are shaded differently on maps in order to help delineate the borders between Asia and Europe. Asia is often divided into culturally and geographically similar regions. Although definitions, names, and borders can vary, generally the regions of Asia include West Asia (which is part of the Middle East), the Caucasus (sometimes also considered as part of the Middle East), Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia (also called the India n Subcontinent), and Southeast Asia.

West Asia is sometimes referred to as the Middle East, with is actually a misnomer since the cultural region we define as the Middle East often included countries outside of Asia, such as Egypt in Africa and Cyprus in Europe. West Asia specifically includes the countries within the region of Asia bordered by the Mediterranean and Red Seas to the West and the Persian Gulf, the Gulfs of Aden and Oman , and the Arabian Sea to the South. Countries within West Asia include Afghanistan , Bahrain , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Jordan , Kuwait , Lebanon , Oman, Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates , and Yemen . Just northeast of Turkey lies the Caucasus, a mountainous region wedged between the Black Sea to the West and the Caspian Sea to the East. The Caucasus includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Russia. Central Asia is located just north of Iran and Afghanistan and south of Russia, consisting of Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , and Uzbekistan . East Asia defines the region between Central Asia, Russia, and the Pacific Ocean roughly up to the beginning of the Tropic of Cancer.

The countries of East Asia include China , Japan , North Korea , South Korea , and Mongolia (as well as Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan ). South Asia is also referred to as the Indian Subcontinent, separated from East Asia by the Himalayan Mountains between China and India and defined largely by the Indian Tectonic Plate on which its countries largely rest. South Asian countries include Bangladesh , Bhutan , India, Maldives , Nepal , Pakistan , and Sri Lanka . Lastly, the Southeast Asian region defines the tropical and equatorial countries between South and East Asia to the North and Oceania to the South. The countries of Southeast Asia include Brunei, Cambodia , Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia , Myanmar (or Burma ), the Philippines, Singapore , Thailand , East Timor (or Timor-Leste ), and Vietnam . It is worth reiterating that these regional borders are as porous as Asia’s continental borders, and some countries can be organized differently. Pakistan can be West instead of South Asian, Afghanistan can be Central or South rather than West Asian, and so on. Finally, it is also worth noting that Russia is not included in any of these regions.

As it is the largest country in the world, Russia’s territory actually stretches across the entirety of Asia’s border from East to West. It cannot be categorized into any of these regions alone and so is kept separate. There are also several unrecognized and partially recognized states within Asia. Palestine, which is made up of the Gaza Strip and West Bank regions in and around Israel, declared its independence in 1988 and is currently recognized as independent by 134 countries, though it is not an official member of the United Nations and is not considered to be its own country by every G-8 nation except Russia. Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and South Ossetia are all located in the Caucasus and all declared their independence during the 1990s, with limited recognition internationally. Northern Cyprus declared its independence in 1983 but is only recognized as a sovereign state within the UN by Turkey, with every other member considering it as simply part of Cyprus.

Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are all considered by China to be a part of its territory, but each see themselves as either entirely independent (in the case of Taiwan) or fully autonomous (in the cases of Hong Kong and Macau), operate largely autonomously in terms of currency and government, and have varying degrees of international recognition as separate states. Taiwan actually operates under various names as a result of its contested statehood: it refers to itself officially as the Republic of China (or ROC), invoking the state which governed the mainland until the Chinese Civil War and takeover of power by the Communist Party of China in 1949, and today’s mainland China (officially the People’s Republic of China, or PRC) calls it Chinese Taipei, but internationally it is most commonly called Taiwan (the name of the state’s largest island). Geography Asia’s immense size lends itself to a variety of different geographical landscapes, depending on its region. West Asia has some of the highest temperatures on the planet as a result of its warm desert climate.

Factoring in the heat index and wind speeds, summers in the region have risen to dangerous temperatures, with parts of Iraq and Iran having recorded feel-like temperatures of over 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius). Inversely, Asia is also home to the coldest weather in the populated world (excluding Antarctica), which was recorded as -90 degrees Fahrenheit (-67.7 degrees Celsius) and occurred in two Russia n towns: Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon. Most of the northern half of Russia is characterized by continental subarctic climates similar to Alaska and much of Canada , and its far north is classified as an arctic tundra comparable to the far north of the Canadian territories or the coasts of Greenland . Both extremes in precipitation can also be found on the Asian continent. Some of the driest places on Earth are located in the desert climates of West Asia, the steppes of Central Asia, and parts of China and Mongolia . At the same time, the northeast India n village of Mawsynram is the absolute wettest place on Earth, with an average of 467.4 inches (11,872 millimeters) of rainfall per year.

South Asia has a mixture of the monsoon weather which lends itself to such heavy precipitation along with tropical savannas with intense heat. Climate patterns involving the Indian and Pacific Oceans cause much of East Asia to have temperate weather with a heavy monsoon season, particularly in Eastern China, Hong Kong , Macau, Taiwan , South Korea and most of southern Japan . Much of continental Southeast Asia has a savannah climate similar to some of the drier parts of South Asia, while its island portions between Asia and Oceania are distinct for their tropical rainforests. The various climates of Asia also allow it to have many different geographical features, such as mountains, rivers, and deserts. The Himalayas, home to Bhutan and Nepal and separating South Asia from China, is the tallest mountain range in the world and its highest peak, Mount Everest, is the tallest mountain on Earth. Three major Asian rivers are also sourced from the Himalayas, the Brahmaputra, the Ganges, and the Indus, which each approach 2,000 miles (3,219 kilometers) in length.

However, the longest river in Asia is actually the Yangtze River, which runs from the southwest region of Tibet all the way to the Pacific coastal city of Shanghai and measures at 1,790 miles (2,880 kilometers) in length. The Syrian and Arabian Deserts of West Asia count among the world’s largest deserts, as does the Gobi Desert between China and Mongolia, in Central Asia. It is also worth noting that many of these massive landscapes are actually the underlying causes of Asia’s various weather patterns. The height of the Himalayas, for example, blocks rainclouds coming from the Indian Ocean and pushes them back into the Indian Subcontinent while simultaneously keeping northern cold air from travelling any farther south, accounting for both the hot monsoon weather of South Asia and the cold deserts and steppes of Central Asia. The largest continent on Earth, Asia’s total size is roughly 17,212,048 square miles (44,579,000 square kilometers), or 30% of the planet’s total landmass.

The largest countries of Asia include Russia (6.6 million square miles or 17.1 million square kilometers), China (3.7 million square miles or 9.6 million square kilometers), India (1.3 million square miles or 3.3 million square kilometers), and Kazakhstan (1.05 million square miles or 2.7 million square kilometers). Asia’s smallest countries are Maldives (120 square miles or 300 square kilometers), Singapore (278 square miles or 719 square kilometers), Bahrain (295 square miles or 765 square kilometers), and Brunei (2,226 square miles or 5,765 square kilometers). If Hong Kong and Macau are recognized as separate countries, then Macau (12.1 square miles or 31.3 square kilometers) is the smallest country in Asia and Hong Kong (1,064 square miles or 2,755 square kilometers) is the fourth-smallest. History Due to its immense size and diverse populations, it is nearly impossible to offer a unified history of Asia.

The continent is the birthplace of nearly all major religions in the world today, as well as a vast number of technological and civilizational advancements. West Asia is at times called the “Cradle of Civilization,” as it was here that Neolithic humans first began its transition from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle, inventing the wheel and basic agriculture in order to do so. The West Asia was also home to the first known human civilizations, such as Ancient Sumer and the ancient Assyrian, Babylonian, and Akkadian empires. Meanwhile, the Indus Valley Civilization (or Harappan Civilization) was the first known civilization formed in South Asia, and in East Asia the Xia Dynasty would be the first recorded account of Ancient China . Most of the world’s earliest belief systems trace their origins back to Asia. West Asia saw the creation of the first Kingdom of Israel , which fostered early Judaism, the birth of Jesus Christ and onset of early Christianity, and the birth of the Prophet Muhammad and the initial spread of Islam. Forms of early Hinduism were practiced in South Asia as far back as the Indus Valley Civilization, and it was codified as a religion during the Vedic Period which followed it.

The South Asian country of Nepal was the birthplace of the initial Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, and the subsequent proliferation of Buddhism influenced much of Central, East, South, and Southeast Asia. Parshvanatha, the oldest historical leader of Jainism, was born in South Asia, as was Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Taoism has origins in East Asia stretching back to the very onset of Ancient China, perhaps even prehistoric China. East Asia also saw the birth of Kong Qiu, known in the West as Confucius, and the spread of Confucianism. The Shinto religion has ancient origins on the Japan ese islands, though its first recorded history began alongside the rise of early imperial dynasties there during the Medieval Period. Demographics With a population of roughly 4.4 billion, or 62% of the global population (about 7.1 billion), Asia is by far the most populated continent on the planet. The most populous countries in Asia are China (1.4 billion people), India (1.3 billion people), Indonesia (259 million people), and Pakistan (193 million people).

Asia’s least populated countries are Maldives (341 thousand people), Brunei (412 thousand people), Bhutan (771 thousand people), and East Timor (1.2 million people). If Hong Kong and Macau are included as countries, then Macau (647 thousand people) becomes the third-least populous country in Asia. Several different religions are widely spread throughout the Asian continent. This being said, Islam is followed by about 1.1 billion people, or 25% of the continent, making it the most popular religion in Asia. Islam is particularly popular in West Asia, where it is the sole official religion of many countries and is practiced by close to 100% of the populations of countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia . However, most Muslims actually live in South and Southeast Asia. Bangladesh , India, and Pakistan have Muslim populations of well over 100 million, while the Southeast Asian country of Indonesia has more adherents to Islam than any other country, with over 200 million Muslims. The second-largest religion in Asia is Hinduism, which follows close behind Islam with roughly 1 billion adherents.

Hinduism is strongest in India and Nepal (where it is followed by over 80% of the population), but it also has strong minority populations in several Southeast and West Asian countries. Christianity is also fairly widespread, with the majority of people in Armenia , Georgia , and Russia following various Orthodox churches, East Timor and the Philippines adhering to Roman Catholicism, and South Korea largely following Protestantism (though with a sizeable minority of Roman Catholics). Other notable religions in Asia include Sikhism and Jainism (which are found mostly in India and Pakistan), Judaism (with Israel being the only country in the world with a majority Jewish population), and Zoroastrianism (the first Iran ian religion and still practiced in parts of modern Iran and other countries). After Islam and Hinduism, however, irreligion technically counts as the third-widest “religion” in Asia. Roughly 21% of the continent claims not to have any particular religious affiliation, especially in China, Hong Kong, Japan , and North Korea . This fact can be partly explained by Communist state policies in China and North Korea regarding religion, but also by the nature of the traditionally prevalent religions of East Asia.

Confucianism and Taoism (or Daoism) are more akin to philosophical traditions than the organized religions practiced in other societies, and indeed the Chinese state promotes some specifically Confucian tenants, while Japan’s Shinto belief system involves a relatively disunified set of religious traditions and folkloric tales. Thus it is the case that much of China’s population can be considered as somewhere between Confucian, Taoist, or irreligious, and that roughly 80% of Japanese citizens practice Shinto but less than 5% can really be called “Shintoist.” Asia is home to a staggering number of languages ranging from local tongues spoken by only a few inhabitants to international languages used in entire regions. Regarding international languages, the most widely spoken language on the continent is Mandarin, which is spoken by 1.3 billion people and is an official language in China, Singapore , and Taiwan . Russian also crosses official language borders, being the official language of Russia, Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan (alongside various other state and regional languages) and having roughly 260 million speakers. Arabic is perhaps the third major international language, recognized as official in most of the countries in West Asia and spoken by about 230 million people.

It is also worth mentioning that English is internationally popular throughout Asia. Though it does not have many recognized native speakers, it is recognized as an official or regional language in Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Singapore. For languages concentrated around specific countries, Hindi is India’s national language (though it recognized a plethora of regional tongues), and with roughly 400 million speakers it is also the second-most popular language in Asia. Other populous national languages include Indonesian (240 million speakers), Bengali (150 million speakers), Japanese (120 million speakers), and Filipino (90 million speakers), though most other countries in Asia also have their own national languages. Additional Asia Geography Notes Burma : Military authorities have promoted the name Myanmar since 1989 as the conventional name for their state. That decision was not (and is not) approved by any sitting legislature in Burma , and is not accepted by the U.S. government. However, Myanmar is widely accepted by numerous countries, and by the United Nations. European Russia : The Russian landmass west of the Ural Mountains is commonly referred to as European Russia in most educational atlases, and by the vast majority of geography experts.

It is not a separate country, but rather called that because of its political, cultural and geographical blendings with Europe. For reference purposes it is shown above to the west of the dashed-line, however, the entire country (as a whole) is still considered part of the continent of Asia. Middle East: Countries considered part of the Middle East (or West Asia) are shown in a lighter shade of gray. Note that they are all still a part of the continent of Asia. Opinions vary as to what countries make up the modern definition of Asia and the Middle East. Historically, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been long associated with the Middle East, but in recent years, some sources now consider them to be more closely aligned with Europe based on their modern economic and political trends. We have moved in that direction, and the same can be said for the island country of Cyprus . Taiwan is still considered by China to be its 23rd province, and not an independent country. Very few other country governments accept China's claims of sovereignty over Taiwan. Turkey is officially, politically and geographically considered part of both Asia and Europe.

The small northwestern portion of Turkey named (Thrace) is a recognized part of Europe, while the largest part (Anatolia) is located in the Middle East, a part of Asia. Asia Population 2016 - World Population Review World Population Review 4,436,224,473 Asia Population 2016 Asia is the largest and most populous of earth's continents and its located in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. Asia comprises a full 30% of the world's land area with 60% of the world's current population. It also has the highest growth rate today, and its population almost quadrupled during the 20th century. The estimated population for Asia in 2016 is 4.4 billion. Asia comprises the eastern 4/5 of Eurasia, bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east, the Indian Ocean on the south and the Arctic Ocean on the north. There are a total of 50 countries in Asia. In 2016, the population of Asia is estimated at 4,434,846,235.

Russia is excluded from Asia's population, although there are about 40 million Russians who live in Asia, or east of the Ural Mountains. Asia has the two most populous countries in its borders: China and India. China is currently the most populous country on earth with an estimated population in 2016 of 1,377,124,512. It accounts for 31.69% of Asia's total population and over 18% of the world's population. India is not too far behind with an estimated population of 1,285,800,000, accounting for 29.36% of the continent's population amd 17.5% of the world's population. It's estimated that India's population will surpass China's by 2022, when each country will have a population of about 1.45 billion people. Turkey, 78.21 million Least Populous Countries The least populous country in Asia is Maldives, with an estimated population of 345,000.

Maldives is also one of the smallest countries on earth with just 298 square kilometers (115 square miles) of area, 99% of which is water. This tiny country has a population density of 1,065 people per square kilometer (2,758/square mile), which makes it the 12th most densely populated country on earth. Following behind Maldives is Brunei, the 50th least populous country in Asia with an estimated 2016 population of 421,000. Located in Southeast Asia, Brunei is surrounded by Sarawak, Malaysia, and it's divided into two parts. It's the only sovereign state fully on the island of Borneo, and one of the richest countries due to its natural gas and petroleum fields with a public debt tha remains below 3%. The ten least populous countries in Asia include: Maldives, 345,000 Georgia, 3.73 million Comparison to Other Continents Asia is the most populous continent, which the second being Africa. Africa is the second largest and most populous continent with an estimated population in 2016 of 1.21 billion people.

Africa has 30.2 million square kilometers (11.7 million square feet) of land, including islands, and its population accounts for 15% of the world's population. Following Africa is Europe, with a population in 2016 of 738 million, or 11% of the world's total population. Europe accounts for only 2% of the earth's surface and 6.8% of its land area, and it's the second-smallest continent. Russia takes up 40% of the continent's area, while Asia's landmass is much greater with a higher population density. Europe has approximately 134 people per square mile, compared to 203/square mile in Asia. Asia beats all other continents in terms of not only space but also population and population density. Asia's Population Growth Asia's growth rate is very high, quadrupling in the last century. Given its wealth of resources and ecological and biological variety, it's in the perfect position to support this growth as well. Unfortunately, Asia's rapid growth and fast economic development is threatening its limited resources through quick expansion, destruction of natural habits and urbanization.

It's predicted that Asia's population will continue to grow for quite some time, which will continue to strain its resources. Based on current estimates, it's projected that national populations will grow in every country of Asia with the exception of Japan and Kazakhstan through 2050. Some countries, including Afghanistan, Nepal and Pakistan, will double in population during this time while India, Vietnam, Malaysia and other countries will see especially high growth rates. Unfortunately, it's currently projected that the countries which will grow the fastest are the ones with the lowest income in the world, and these countries will be the least capable of handling the extra stress on resources. % of World Pop 63.37% The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency Background: The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C.

- which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence, which was granted in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan.

The neighboring nations have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. Despite pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991 and a massive youthful population are driving India's emergence as a regional and global power.

Geography :: INDIA Languages: Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9% note: English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census) geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead

 of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 29 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal note: although its status is that of a union territory, the official name of Delhi is National Capital Territory of Delhi chief of state: President Pranab MUKHERJEE (since 22 July 2012); Vice President Mohammad Hamid ANSARI (since 11 August 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Narendra MODI (since 26 May 2014) cabinet: Union Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister

, appointed by the president elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and state legislatures for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 19 July 2012 (next to be held in July 2017); vice president indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and state legislatures for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 7 August 2012 (next to be held in August 2017); following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by parliamentary members of the majority party election results: Pranab MUKHERJEE elected president; percent of vote - Pranab MUKHERJEE (INC prior to election) 69.3%, Purno SANGMA (independent) 30.7%; Mohammad Hamid ANSARI reelected vice president; electoral college vote - Mohammad Hamid ANSARI 490, Jaswant SINGH 238 Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (245 seats

; 233 members indirectly elected by state and territorial assemblies by proportional representation vote, and 12 members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms) and the House of the People or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 2 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) elections: People's Assembly - last held April-May 2014 in 10 phases; (next to be held by May 2019) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - BJP 31.0%, INC 19.3%, AITC 3.8%, SP 3.4%, AIADMK 3.3%, CPI(M) 3.3%, TDP 2.6%, YSRC 2.5%, AAP 2.1%, SAD 1.8%, BJD 1.7%, SS 1.7%, NCP 1.6%, RJD 1.3%, TRS 1.3%, LJP 0.4%, other 15.9%, independent 3.0%; seats by party

 - BJP 282, INC 44, AIADMK 37, AITC 34, BJD 20, SS 18, TDP 16, TRS 11, CPI(M) 9, YSRC 9, LJP 6, NCP 6, SP 5, AAP 4, RJD 4, SAD 4, other 33, independent 3 highest court(s): Supreme Court (the chief justice and 25 associate justices) judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president to serve until age 65 subordinate courts: High Courts; District Courts; Labour Court note: in mid-2011, India’s Cabinet approved the "National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reform" to eliminate judicial corruption and reduce the backlog of cases; as of mid-July 2015, the Indian Government was considering the introduction of pre-trial hearing as a method for reducing the backlog Aam Aadmi Party or AAP [Arvind KEJRIWAL] All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [J.

JAYALALITHAA] All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [Mamata BANERJEE] Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI] Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Amit SHAH] Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK] Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M) [Prakash KARAT] Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI] Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) [Ram Vilas PASWAN] Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR] Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Lalu Prasad YADAV] Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV] Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Parkash Singh BADAL] Shiv Sena or SS [Uddhav THACKERAY] Telegana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) [K.

Chandrashekar RAO] Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU] YSR Congress (YSRC) [Jaganmohan REDDY] note: India has dozens of national and regional political parties All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley (separatist group) Bajrang Dal (militant religious organization) Jamiat Ulema-e Hind [Mahmood MADANI] (religious organization) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh [Mohan BHAGWAT] (nationalist organization) Vishwa Hindu Parishad [Pravin TOGADIA] (militant religious organization) other: hundreds of social reform, anti-corruption, and environmental groups at state and local level; numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations; various separatist groups seeking greater communal and/or regional autonomy International organization participation: ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, CERN (observer), CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20,

 G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arun Kumar SINGH (since 18 May 2015) chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note - Consular Wing located

 at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone: [1](202) 939-7000 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 name: "Jana-Gana-Mana" (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People) lyrics/music: Rabindranath TAGORE note: adopted 1950; Rabindranath TAGORE, a Nobel laureate, also wrote Bangladesh's national anthem Economy :: INDIA Economy - overview: India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services.

Slightly less than half of the work force is in agriculture, but services are the major sourc India is developing into an open-market economy, yet traces of its past autarkic policies remain. Economic liberalization measures, including industrial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and reduced controls on foreign trade and inve Growth rebounded in 2014 through 2016, with exceeding 7% each year. Investors’ perceptions of India improved in early 2014, due to a reduction of the current account deficit and expectations of post-election economic reform, resulting in a surge of inboun The outlook for India's long-term growth is moderately positive due to a young population and corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy savings and investment rates, and increasing integration into the global economy.

However, India's discrimination aga note: this is the Indian central bank's policy rate - the repurchase rate country comparison to the world: 41 9.3% (31 December 2016 est.) 10.01% (31 December 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $385.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $370.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $1.728 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.704 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.579 trillion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.57 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $1.516 trillion (31 December 2015 est.) $1.558 trillion (31 December 2014 est.) $1.139 trillion (31 December

 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 1.218 trillion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 973 billion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 200 million kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 5 billion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 42 311 million kW (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 68.7% of total installed capacity (26 February 2014 ) country comparison to the world: 113 2% of total installed capacity (26 February 2014 ) country comparison to the world: 29 16.9% of total installed capacity (26 February 2014 ) country comparison to the world: 98 12.4% of total installed capacity (26 February 2014 ) country comparison to the world: 26 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (July 2015 est

.) country comparison to the world: 2 Telephone system: general assessment: supported by recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies, India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing telecom markets in the world; total telephone subscribership base exceeded 1 billion in 2015, an overall teledensi domestic: mobile cellular service introduced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan areas and 19 telecom circles, each with multiple private service providers and one or more state-owned service providers; in recent years significant trunk capacity international: country code - 91; a number of major international submarine cable systems, including SEA-ME-WE-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), SEA-ME-WE-4 with a landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with a landing site at (2015) broad gauge: 58,404 km 1.676-m gauge (23,654 electrified) narrow gauge: 9,499 km 1.000-m gauge; 622 km 0.762-m gauge (2014) country comparison to

 the world: 5 Roadways: total: 4,699,024 km note: includes 96,214 km of national highways and expressways, 147,800 km of state highways, and 4,455,010 km of other roads (2015) country comparison to the world: 2 14,500 km (5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels) (2012) country comparison to the world: 9 Merchant marine: total: 340 by type: bulk carrier 104, cargo 78, chemical tanker 22, container 14, liquefied gas 11, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 92 foreign-owned: 10 (China 1, Hong Kong 2, Jersey 2, Malaysia 1, UAE 4) registered in other countries: 76 (Cyprus 4, Dominica 2, Liberia 8, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 24

, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Singapore 21, unknown 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 29 major seaport(s): Chennai, Jawaharal Nehru Port, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), Sikka, Vishakhapatnam container port(s) (TEUs): Chennai (1,558,343), Jawaharal Nehru Port (4,307,622) LNG terminal(s) (import): Dabhol, Dahej, Hazira Military and Security :: INDIA country comparison to the world: 31 Transnational Issues :: INDIA Disputes - international: since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue Kashmir remains the site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas) India and Pakistan resumed

 bilateral dialogue in February 2011 after a two-year hiatus, have maintained the 2003 cease-fire in Kashmir, and continue to have disputes over water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek technical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; Prime Minister Singh's September 2011 visit to Bangladesh resulted in the signing of a Protocol to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh, which had called for the settlement of longstanding boundary disputes over undemarcated areas and the exchange of territorial enclaves, but which had never been implemented; Bangladesh referred its maritime boundary claims with Burma and India to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary sections, including the 400 sq km dispute

 over the source of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal refugees (country of origin): 110,098 (Tibet/China); 64,208 (Sri Lanka); 15,735 (Burma); 10,196 (Afghanistan) (2015) IDPs: 612,000 (armed conflict and intercommunal violence) (2015) Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries and throughout Southwest Asia; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and precursor production

Question: Which Asian country has the fourth largest population after China, India and Indonesia?
Answer: PAKISTAN